


it's you forevermore

by slow_soda_sips (nap_princess)



Category: when the camellia blooms
Genre: F/M, Happy Ending, Modern AU, family au, is your mom really your mom if she doesn't call you 'fat' while feeding you?, might be an asian thing but ...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:07:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21563482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nap_princess/pseuds/slow_soda_sips
Summary: When Dong-baek had first met Yong-sik, she didn't think she would like him— Dong-baek/Yong-sik
Relationships: Dong-baek & Yong-sik, Dong-baek/Yong-sik
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	it's you forevermore

**it's you forevermore**

* * *

When Dong-baek had first met Yong-sik, she didn't think she would like him.

Before Geum-ok had been killed by Joker, Dong-baek remembers telling her best friend the kind of guy she prefers, the opposite of Kang Jung-ryeol; responsible, intelligent, 'a doctor' — like the perfect father Dong-baek had concocted for Pil-gu.

 _Am I prejudice?_ Dong-baek had thought to herself when Yong-sik had snuck past her defences yet again, then shakes her head. _No, I just have a type._ She decides then adds an additional thought, _Besides, I have to take care of my family._

Though Dong-baek will admit, Yong-sik reminded her of a lost puppy following her everywhere, and she didn’t have the heart to turn him away. But, that was nothing new about her. She’s always known herself to be soft.

Still, Dong-baek really didn’t think that she would need to consider Yong-sik into her life. Yong-sik's an odd man; with his goody demeanour, toothy smile and large t-shirts — she wouldn’t change him, but she didn’t think he was ready to be a father.

.

.

.

But then, with the stunt he pulled, how can Dong-baek not double-back?

That big idiot had gone above and beyond, decorating the garden with camellia petals and cakes and pictures of him watching over her, and Dong-baek couldn't help but cry happy tears. It's been a long time since she's shed tears like that, she hasn't cried happy tears since Pil-gu was bundled up in her arms after his birth.

* * *

Everyone wants to grow old with the people they love.

Dong-baek’s list of people she thought she would grow old with has changed over the years. Originally it was her mother, but when she was orphaned, that became Kang Jung-ryeol. And when she had left her long-time boyfriend, it was Pil-gu she thought she could only grow old with. And then her best friend, Han Geum-ok, was included before tragedy struck.

Choi Hyang-mi came along too. Despite her kleptomaniac tendencies, there was just something about the way Hyang-mi had showed up at the _Camellia_ bar with her leopard print clothes and the bags by her heels that made Dong-baek think, _We can become one odd, small family and grow old together._

But even that didn’t last with Joker on the rise.

After moving to Ongsan, close to a decade later, Dong-baek considered Yong-sik. Especially after everything he’s done for her — defended her, advised her, _loved her._

However, the true realisation that she would like him to be in her life forever came during their odd strolls.

Walking by the sea used to be a thing she would only do to calm her mind. But now, it was something fun to do; to take walks with him, to talk to him. She especially enjoyed moments where they stopped under trees; where she stood dangerously close beside him; where sunlight filtered through the leaves above them and landed on his dimpled cheeks. 

She liked the way he spoke with a glint in his eyes, the curve of his jaw, the veins that stood against his neck when he was especially passionate. She liked that she noticed his age too — thirty years old now, he's not as young as he used to be — with crow's feet forming on the corners of his eyes and freckles dotting his face, it made her picture them ageing into old grandmas and grandpas, surrounded by a handful of children and even more grandchildren.

Gosh, he makes her want to not be lonely.

* * *

Sometimes she thinks all she can do is hide her face and cry behind her worn, working hands.

Other times, she thinks she must be strong for her son. There are still so many milestones she hasn't seen Pil-gu achieve yet — win his baseball game, graduation elementary school, receive trophies and ribbons for his achievements.

She knows most people reach for the bottle when life gets tough. But, in her case, she seldom drinks. On one hand, she thinks she shouldn't waste her inventory. On the other, drinking should never be an activity done alone. There should at least be one friend whom she can laugh and have drunk antics with.

For the longest time, Dong-baek didn’t think she could even sit down and drink with anyone. But then Yong-sik proposed and she thought: maybe.

Maybe she’ll finally be able to share a drink with someone and celebrate.

.

.

.

Her wedding was the funniest scene she’s ever witnessed, and she’s seen _a lot_ of drunken exchanges.

Yong-sik’s police friends are really no match against the women of Ongsan, especially when intoxicated. Dong-baek swears she could have stared the whole night, though, her eyes kept sweeping to the golden ring around her fourth finger and her proud husband and proud family.

* * *

"You want to try for a baby?" Dong-baek gasps so loud that she covers her mouth with her hands afterwards, afraid she would wake Pil-gu and her sleeping mother.

“Yeah,” Yong-sik says with an ease Dong-baek couldn’t believe.

" _Yong-sik._ " Dong-baek says in a tone she uses for Pil-gu when her son is being unreasonable. "I'm old."

Her husband stares at her in an equally amazed look. 

"Dong-baek," Yong-sik says in that hill-billy accent that made him stretch out his words. "Kang Jung-ryeol's also the same age and he made a kid not too long ago."

"That's different,"

"How?" Yong-sik asks through Dong-baek suspects it's a rhetorical question. "Dong-baek, weren't you the one who told me you wanted to have a big family? We've been raising Pil-gu together for three years now, I’m no amature, I can handle more children.”

“I … I don’t know,” Dong-baek says, though she feels guilty for turning down the idea before even mulling over it.

Yong-sik didn’t look all that disappointed though. “I don’t want to force you.” Is what he says instead. “If we decide to have children together, I want it to be because **you** want to. I’m just bringing it up because I feel like it’s something you’ve always wanted but you’re not voicing it because you feel like it’s not as important as paying the bills.”

“I …” Dong-baek stammers again. Family has always been important to her. She just isn’t sure if her current family will agree with it. She’s always put others first. "Pil-gu doesn't even like his sister, what makes you think he'll like another sister or a brother?" Dong-baek asks.

Yong-sik looks at Dong-baek's face and sees the same features on his wife's face as his son's. "Because Dong-baek, Pil-gu is a lot like you. And because you two are so similar, I know that you’ll feel the same.”

Dong-baek blinks, trying to wrap her head around her husband’s words.

“Dong-baek, I _know_ you will love our child, so I know that Pil-gu will too. He loves just like you." Yong-sik says with certainty.

Dong-baek doesn’t say anything after that, but, she won’t lie, she teared up a little at such a statement.

* * *

“Dong-baek,” Dong-baek’s mom says while placing kimchi on her daughter’s bowl of rice.

“Hmm?” Dong-baek hums, looking between her mother and son at the dining table.

“You’ve been gaining weight lately.”

Dong-baek cocks a brow. “Are you calling me fat?”

“I am.” Her mother clarifies.

“Aish, how can you say that when you’re feeding me?”

“It’s not nice to call someone ‘fat’, Halmeoni,” Pil-gu says to his grandmother. “If Jun-gi heard you say that to him, he’d cry.”

“Your omma would cry too.” The older woman says.

Dong-baek frowns and Pil-gu stuffs his face with rice, he knows he shouldn’t participate in these sort of conversations.

“You use to say I was fat all the time.” Dong-baek’s mother continues, addressing her daughter.

“That was before I knew you had problems with your illness!” Dong-baek clarifies.

“Still,” Her mother clicks her tongue then puts some meat in Dong-baek’s bowl.

“Stop,” Dong-baek whines. “I can feed myself. I’m eating healthy, you don’t have to worry about my fifty percent chance.”

“Trust my motherly instincts, okay?” The older woman says with a certain fierceness Dong-baek can’t back down from. “I need to feed you.”

“Whatever you say, Omma.” Dong-baek says grumpily, eating her fill.

* * *

Dong-baek started attending church again, despite the busyness of the bar’s business and her pregnancy doing strange things to her moods, she feels like she needs some divine intervention to make sure the next few months of her life goes smoothly.

"I've been meaning to pray anyway," Dong-baek says to herself, her bible tucked under her arm and the thought of Geum-ok in her mind.

"Will we be praying for Hyang-mi?" Pil-gu asks. He's gotten to that age where he doesn't want to hold his mother's hand but he's still considerate.

Dong-baek smiles at her son and says, "Always."

* * *

Not only had Dong-baek used up all of her bad luck, she had also acquired an abundance amount of good fortune.

"Twins?" Dong-baek asks the ultrasound doctor when she’s told the news.

The doctor nods, and flashes a genuine smile. "Both healthy girls."

Beside her, Yong-sik weeps like a baby; alternating between blinking back his tears and kissing his wife’s hand.

“Why are you crying?” Dong-baek scolds, as if she isn’t tearing up herself.

“I’m just so happy.” Yong-sik admits and even the doctor smiles.

“Congratulations, you two!” The doctor says.

"Thank you," Dong-baek says, she likes this doctor, she likes this hospital.

Yong-sik doesn't replies, choosing to fall into silence as he stared at the monitor and the twins in Dong-baek’s tummy.

“They’re not even born yet,” Yong-sik whispers, “But I love them already.”

.

.

.

Dong-baek stares at the narrowed down list of baby names. There are currently four names written in Hangul — her mother's name, her mother-in-law's name and her two dear friends that had perished in the hands of Joker. The last two had been drumming in her skull unpleasantly for a while now.

Looking up at her husband, Dong-baek points to the two names and asks, "Do you think these names are bad luck? I don't want our daughters to live the way I had to. I don't want them to be me, I'm still such a crybaby."

Yong-sik lets out a 'don't worry' jubilant sound. "Dong-baek, you defeated the Joker single-handedly with a beer cup."

Dong-baek stares at Yong-sik like the man is downplaying the fact that he's fought dangerous criminals with his bare hands.

"Look," Yong-sik says, now serious. He holds her equally callused hands in his and tells Dong-baek, "If our daughters grow up to be like you, they would be strong and they would be so filled with love that I think they'd wish all of Ongsan would stop smothering them! Don't worry, no one will even think of bringing harm to them! The aunties will watch over them too, you know how the women of Ongsan are, anything can be used as a weapon! The image of Miss Hong beating Joker up with really hard vegetable still hasn't left my brain." Yong-sik says, shuddering a little.

Dong-baek knows she should have taken his words with encouragement but she instead laughed. Her Yong-sik always did know how to brighten her day.

“So we’re keeping these two names?” Dong-baek asks.

“They’re good names.” Yong-sik says with a nod.

Dong-baek grins, and doesn’t second guess further.

* * *

"Omma, can I hold them now?" Pil-gu asks his tired mom, staring at Miss Kwak cradling Geum-ok who’s tiny body is bundled and surrounded by her cooing uncles.

“You want to hold both of them at the same time?” Dong-baek’s mother asks, answering for her daughter. She wants her daughter to rest after giving birth.

Yong-sik is sweeping Dong-baek's sweaty hair back, whispering and congratulating her, trying to keep his voice low to not exhaust her.

“I can’t?” Pil-gu asks back.

“You can, but one at the time, Pil-gu.” Dong-baek’s mother continues.

Hyang-mi is eased into Pil-gu’s arms and his face twisted in a sort of adoration that’s only shown in secret. His grandmother grins at the red baby while Dong-baek manages her own smile at the exchange between her children, Hyang-mi is now holding onto Pil-gu’s finger.

There was so much happening in the small hospital room, overflowing and overlapping conversation —

"Dong-baek and the twins should rest but that nosy Mister No keeps insisting on scheduling play dates with his son. Luckily, his wife knocked some sense into him but it wouldn’t hurt for him to use some common sense.” Dong-baek’s mother complains to Pil-gu. “Besides, it’s not like the whole of Ongsan isn’t already family. His son and the twins will likely be friends growing up." 

"Aish, mute my phone for me, will you?” Yong-sik’s mother says to one of her sons. “My hands are full and Miss Kim keeps calling to ask about the girls. Obviously, I’m not answering but I know that she’ll call that nurse sister of hers at some point.” 

“I heard the last time Miss Kim kept calling, her sister almost threw her phone out the third story window. Luckily, she didn't, but it’s pretty funny that the idea was considered.” Doo-sik, Yong-sik's second brother, says, chuckling a little.

Kyu-sik, Yong-sik’s oldest brother, smiles. “Whoa, I guess we’re going to expect a lot of visitors when we get back to Ongsan, huh?" 

— and for some reason, Dong-baek couldn't help but feel warm. Warm with happiness and warm with love. She sniffed.

"Honey, are you crying? What’s wrong?" Yong-sik asks, reasonably concerned.

Dong-baek blinks back the moisture in her brown and smiles. "I can't help it, but it's okay, these are happy tears. I've been shedding happy tears for a long time. I can’t remember the last time I was sad." She admits, meaning it.

There was no reason to be sad. Not when she’s surrounded by people whom loved her the most.

* * *

**end**

**Author's Note:**

> Notes:
> 
> Me, before WTCB: Dates are romantic.  
> Me, after WTCB: Taking the bus to go to the market together is goals!
> 
> — 26 November 2019


End file.
